On Saturday, residents of Washington Township, New Jersey, came together to celebrate five-year-old Gavin Todd’s return home after months in the hospital battling cancer. He was surprised with a parade featuring first responders, sports teams, Santa Claus, and his favorite superhero, Spider-Man. The event was organized by Rich "PopPop" Nardiello of PopPop's Kustom Kars, who says he wanted to bring joy and smiles to children and their families.
Gavin was diagnosed with lymphoma in October after his mother, Mary Todd, noticed a drastic change in his energy levels and physical abilities. "When this hit him, it … rocked our whole world," Todd recalls. Over the past few months, Gavin has been undergoing chemotherapy at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. His release from the hospital on Thursday marks a significant milestone for his family.
While Gavin still has follow-up appointments and medical monitoring ahead, the family is optimistic about returning to a new normal. Among those celebrating his homecoming was his Tee ball coach, Alyssa Raymond, who’s also a cancer survivor. "This hits very close to home for me," she says, "The perfect way to start a new year is being here today and seeing that little boy being cancer free."
Source: 6 ABC
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